Lesson 6: Blockchain In a Day

Today we're going to learn about Blockchain technology! What is Blockchain you ask? Let's find out together!

Video: Show the How Blockchain Works: Introduction video

We're going to spend class watching this entire series! Ecah video will have some new vocabulary to keep track of. After each video, there will be a reflection question to answer and discuss. Let's get started!

Distribute: the Vocabulary Matching notetaker to students.

Video: Watch the How Blockchain Works: Why Blockchain? video as a class. Students should be listening for vocabulary terms to match on their notetaker.

Prompt: What is one issue in today’s society that might be improved by blockchain? What is a potential new issue that you think could occur because of Blockchain?

Video: Watch the How Blockchain Works: Under the Hood video as a class. Students should be listening for vocabulary terms to match on their notetaker.

Prompt: The blockchain helps facilitate thousands of transactions each day between people who’ve never met or trust each other. What are some of the ways the blockchain helps ensure this trust or helps make sure people don’t abuse the network?

Video: Watch the How Blockchain Works: Beyond Currencies video as a class. Students should be listening for vocabulary terms to match on their notetaker.

Prompt: What’s a real-world situation that you think smart contracts could help with? What might make them better than how it’s handled now?

Video: Watch the How Blockchain Works: Marketplace & Price video as a class. Students should be listening for vocabulary terms to match on their notetaker.

Prompt: What’s an example of something whose value has changed over time? What factors caused it to change? Did it go mostly up, mostly down, or mostly stay the same?

Video: Watch the Blockchain: Trustworthy or a Scam? video as a class. Students should be listening for vocabulary terms to match on their notetaker.

Prompt: After watching the video, do you think Blockchain is mostly trustworthy? Or mostly a scam?

Video: Watch the Blockchain: Societal Impact video as a class. Students should be listening for vocabulary terms to match on their notetaker.

Prompt: What’s one way Blockchain could be beneficial to society? What’s one way Blockchain might be harmful?

We'd love to learn more about the folks teaching these lessons and the classroom experience. Please let us know in this How Blockchain Works Teacher Survey.

Depending on your goals and student interests, you may decide to offer optional extensions related to blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Additional resources and the rest of the How Blockchain Works video series are available on https://code.org/blockchain, including a Blockchain & Cryptocurreny Hour of Code Activity.